Disclaimer: London Drum has no association with Guildhall. Whilst we make every effort to ensure the event information is accurate, events in London are sometimes cancelled or amended without us being notified. You should always reconfirm the event with Guildhall before making plans

>Read Craig’s review I’ve tried this event myself and posted some photos and a review on my blog

Guildhall Guided TourLondon DrumEasy to get to?★★★Good for kids?★★★Value for money?★★★Worth a visit?★★★303

The medieval Guildhall was originally built during the reigns of Henry IV and V (roughly around the time of Dick Whittington), and its Great Hall is one of the few buildings in the City of London to have survived the Great Fire of London.

This tour will take you into the Great Hall itself (it really is a beautiful room), where a guide will explain the history behind the characters in the statues and paintings. The greatest names from British history are there, from Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington to Sir Winston Churchill. You'll also see the mythical protectors of London, Gog and Magog, staring down from the balcony.

What really this tour interesting, is that it takes place on the same day as the City of London's Common Council meeting. This is the monthly meeting between the Aldermen and Lord Mayor, who will parade in from the back and discuss issues affecting the City. (They only oversee the City of London, the so-called Square Mile, which is inside the old city walls -- Greater London as a whole is run by the Mayor at City Hall.)

If you don't mind waiting around for an hour after the tour has finished, you can sit inside the Great Hall and watch the Common Council for free.

If you enjoy this tour then there a couple of other events that you might like to check out. The first one is a guided tour of Mansion House, which is the Lord Mayor's official home (it's that Romanesque looking building opposite the Royal Exchange, with the Corinthian columns out the front). If you thought the Great Hall was a beautiful room, then wait until you see inside this place!

If you enjoyed watching the Common Council meeting then how about watching the Mayor of London at City Hall as well? City Hall is nowhere near as beautiful as the Guildhall, but the discussions they have are far wider-ranging, and have much more effect on Londoner's lives.

If you like at Guildhall, then you might also like these other London events…

Common Council meeting, with the Lord Mayor – 12th Jan, 9th Mar, 27th Apr, 25th May, 22nd Jun, 20th Jul, 14th Sep, 12th Oct and 7th Dec 2017Attend a meeting of the Common Council at the Guildhall, and see the Lord Mayor of London dressed in all their finery.